Welcome to the first November post on the blog. Before I go on into the topic, I would like to thank you for constantly reading and engaging with my blog. It’s been a nice journey since a year now and it continues to be so because of youJ Today, we’re talking about the one social giant: Instagram. Ever wondered why the pictures don’t get the results you’re after? I have experienced with the platform for a while now, so let’s see what you can do to get the return you deserve.

Really briefly put: Instagram is a visual platform, so all your posts have to look different and have something cool about them. I’ll explore what works from a ‘like’ grabbing perspective and give you some good examples of what you can do to step up your game.

Tip 1: Your eye for design needs to be present in all shots

Let’s say you post about healthy food recipes. The soup you just cooked might be looking great, but that is not going to get you popular if you don’t take the extra step and turn your kitchen into a photo shoot location. Or, let’s say you’re a fashion blogger (like me) and want to show some accessories – you need to get creative and turn your bed into your like grabbing location. Have some props ready: in Autumn you can have little pumpkins, nuts or even leaves you picked up to make your flat lays a wonder. I guarantee they’ll grab attention! I know that these little small details can cost you time and sometimes even money as some of these need to be purchased, but if you really want it, you have to play the game.

Tip 2: Location is the true king

They say that content is king. I say location is the true king. Sometimes, I mean most of the times, in the first second, even before they’ve even read your caption, the audience will make a quick unconscious decision: to like or to scroll further. You might have written the most inspiring copy, but if the picture will not do the trick, your engagement might be low. We won’t let that happen because that’s where we get smart. It’s that second you have to grab their attention… without screaming ‘I try too hard’. So, choose your pictures’ location wisely. After you’ve exhausted all the cute brunch places in your city, think about the story you want to tell with your outfits. For a dreamy outfit choose a flower wall, for a Steet style vibe go take pictures on busy traffic streets or supermarkets, you get my drift. Make sure your location is extremely Instagramable. Take my supermarket picture example below: my location is interesting; the composition is dynamic, and the outfit is Insta worthy too. You might say ‘Andrada, but this is shallow, what if my content is spot on?’ I’ve got only one answer: the location needs to match too. After all, vanity is shallow too, but advertising industry is built on it; and Instagram serves as an advertising tool for your business. So, you have to fearlessly compete with others to make your account stand out, tell a compelling story, bag those extra likes and start new collaborations. Every little effort helps in building that big brand of that you’re dreaming about. You can do this!

Tip 3: Constantly engage with other users

Whilst your content and pictures rule the Gram, you have to remember that you’re part of a community. It’s not the time or place to become self-obsessed. It’s the other users who interact with your page that will make you truly popular. Ask yourself these questions: am I commenting on other people’s profile constantly? Am I receiving a positive response at my posts and Instagram Stories? Are users also commenting on my pictures? Try to work out an answer to these and work as much as you can to gain engagement from your audience. It’s the only way to grow. Posting your pictures shouldn’t be the only activity you engage in on Instagram. Get social and you’ll grow your page!

Are you feeling inspired to grow your page and put a little more effort into the shots you’re taking? Let me know what tricks you have to grow your page – I would love to see them all! 💋